German Published Patent Document No. 196 42 343 refers to a method for regulating the focusing of a directed beam of light of a scanning device on a rotating recording medium for reading data on the recording medium and for guiding the beam of light along the data tracks of the recording medium by a regulating circuit. For example, a track regulating circuit containing a power amplifier is provided. The power amplifier is connected to an actuator, which adjusts the regulated position of a lens system of a reading head in the plane of the track with a force FT. The position of the lens system with respect to a compact disc is measured by reference photodiodes mounted on the reading head. Distance Y0 of the lens system from the reading head is altered by the force acting on the lens system in the plane of the track. A disturbance in position brought about by the change in distance Y0 is added at a first summation point together with all position interference quantities in the plane of the track for the movement of the lens system with respect to the compact disc, yielding an overall position error ΔY of the track regulation in the plane of the track. A position sensor converts the total position error ΔY into electric position error signal TE. At a second summation point, parasitic signals E1T, which originate from defects on the compact disc and interfere with the position determination in the plane of the track, are superimposed on position error signal TE. The resulting signal VT is sent to a correction network of the track regulation. The correction network includes an electronic circuit, the function of which is that of a filter and which should promote the stability and the static and dynamic accuracy of regulation. The output signal of the correction network is sent to the power amplifier. Through such a loop, the reading head may be positioned at a certain track on the surface of the compact disc. Furthermore, inaccuracies in true running, storage or manufacturing of components of the compact disc drive may be compensated for. Finally, reading head position errors caused by external acceleration may be compensated for with respect to the compact disc, such as vibrations.